Filling machine with improved valve mechanism



Aug. 14, 1951 R. E. J. NORDQUIST 6 FILLING MACHINE WITH IMPROVED VALVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. so, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 1 D t W MD. m

14, 1951 R. E. J. NORDQUIST 2,563,863

FILLING MACHINE WITH IMPROVED VALVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 50. 1947 2 Shets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1951 FILLING MACHINE WITH IMPROVED VALVE MECHANISM Ronald E. J. Nordquist, Maplewood, N. J asslgnor to American Can Com corporation of New J e pany, New York, N. Y., a racy Application December 30, 1947. Serial No. 794,694 Claims. (Cl. 226-103) The present invention relates to machines for filling measured charges of liquid into cans or containers and has particular reference to an improved valve mechan sm for the measuring and filling devices used in such a machine.

An object of the invention is the provision in a liquid filling machine of a valve mechanism wherein the measuring chamber inlet valve and its outlet valve are both controlled by the same actuating means thereby providing a simple and eflicient valve construction which is economical to build and to maintain in operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel valve mechanism in a. liquid filling machine wherein a measuring chamber inlet valve and a container filling outlet valve are connected in timed relation by a bodily yieldable rod or arm for holding one valve closed while the other is opening, one of said valves being cam actuated.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a filling machine embodying the instant invention; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views taken substantially along the respective lines 2-2 and 3--3 in Fig. 1, with parts broken away.

As a. preferred and exemplified embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate principal parts of a machine for filling liquids into cans, such as for example, the machine disclosed in United States Patent 1,506,851 issued September 2, l924,to T. Martin et al. on Filling Machine. In such a machine cans A disposed in an upright position and moving in a continuous procession are fed into the machine by a continuously rotating turret II (Fig. 1) having spaced pockets l2 for advancing the cans in timed order. The turret is rotated in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine. Curved guide rails l3 disposed adjacent the outer periphery of the turret retain the cans in their pockets.

A can A advanced by the turret H is received in the machine on a stationary table l5 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) secured to a frame it which constitutes the main frame of the machine. The table extends around the machine along a circular path of travel below a rotatable reservoir I8 mounted in the machine frame as disclosed in the above mentioned Martin patent. The reservoir is rotated continuously in any suitable manner and contains a liquid such as fruit juices, brine, syrup, canning liquids, carbonated beverages or the like to be filled into the cans.

The cans A received on the table [5 are propelled therealong in spaced and timed order by spaced feed fingers 2| (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which project laterally from depending brackets 22 secured to the bottom of the reservoir. A pair of spaced and parallel curved guide rails 23, 24 secured to the table [5 maintain the cans in line as they travel along the table with the reservoir.

During the travel of a can A along the table l5 it is filled with a measured charge of the liquid contained in the reservoir I8. For this purpose the machine is provided with a plurality of measuring cylinders 26 which depend vertically from the bottom of the reservoir and which are located one adjacent each of the can propelling fingers 2| on the reservoir. These measuring cylinders are open at both ends. The upper end of each cylinder is secured in a tight fitting bore 21 formed in the bottom of the reservoir, with the open end of the cylinder in communication with the interior of the reservoir.

The capacity of the measuring cylinders 26 is defined by their interior side walls and by a piston 3i which is slidably disposed within each cylinder, and by a poppet inlet valve 32 which seats against the top edge of each cylinder. The pistons are located in a predetermined position in the cylinders for providing a predetermined capacity of the cylinders. Each piston is pivotaily connected to the upper end of an adjustable connecting rod 34 (Figs. 2.and 3) having a turnbuckle 35 for manually shifting the piston in its measuring cylinder for changing the capacity of the cylinder to fit the holding capacity of the can to be filled.

The lower ends of the connecting rods 34 are mounted on pivot pins 36 secured in vertical slides 31 slidably disposed in vertical slideways 38 formed in the outer peripher of a drum 39 bolted to and rotating with the reservoir Hi. There is one slide 31 for each piston 3|. These slides carry cam rollers M which operate in a cam groove 42 of a stationary cam 43 which encircles the drum 3! and which is bolted to the frame Hi. The cam is shaped to raise and lower the pistons 3| at the proper time as the cam rollers 4| traverse the cam groove 42 during rotation of the reservoir to force a measured charge of liquid out of the measuring cylinders into the waiting cans as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

The inlet valve 32 hereinbefore mentioned is vertical guide posts 45 which extend up from the cylinder and which locate the valve in a central position over the cylinder as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. There is one of these inlet valves 32 for each cylinder. The bottoms of the valves are fiat and are surrounded with a bevel seat 46 for engagement with the upper, inner edge of the cylinders.

' pelled by a finger 2| on 'the reservoir.

The inlet valves 32 are formed with stems 43 which extend up through and project above the liquid reservoir l8. At their upper ends, the stems 46 are formed with a fiat head or collar 49. This head forms a seat for a rocker ball 5| formed on the inner end of a rocker arm 52. The ball is held in place on the head-49 by a flat head screw 53 which extends through a clearance hole 54 in the ball and which is threadedly secured in the upper end of the stem 48. The clearance hole in the ball is ofsuch a shape as to permit rocking of the ball on the stem head 49.

There is one of these rocker arms 52 for each valve 32. Intermediate its ends each arm 52 is formed with a spherical socket 50 which surrounds a-universal ball 55 slidably mounted on a vertical bolt 56 which extends through a bore 51 in the ball. The bolt is threadedly secured in a boss 58 formed on the upper edge of the reservoir l8. Adjacent the reservoir l8 the universal ball is formed with a depending sleeve 59 which surrounds the bolt 56 and which rests against the boss 58. The universal ball 55 is ieldably retained in this position against the boss 58 by a compression spring 6| which surrounds the bolt 56 above the ball and which is interposed between the head of the bolt and the .ball 55 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

There is one of" these outlet valves 65 for each measuring cylinder 26 and each valve is located in vertical alignment with a can A being pro- These valves normally extend down past a horizontal charge channels 12, 13. This filling or the measuring cylinder is effected while the reservoir rotates continuously.

After a predetermined travel of the reservoir l8 to insurefllling of the measurin cylinder 26 and to receive a can A under the outlet plunger valve 65 for filling, the cam roller 18 on the outlet valve is raised by an inclined portion of the cam 16 as the roller traverses the cam groove 11 and this lifts the outlet .valve 65. As the outlet valve 65 moves up, it rocks the rocker arm 52 and this pushes the inlet poppet valve 32 down against the top edge of the measuring cylinder 26. The inlet poppet valve 32 is fully down in cylinder closing position as shown in Fig. 3 before the bottom of the outlet plunger valve 65 reaches the discharge channel 12. Thus at this instant in the cycle of. operation of the machine both valves 32, 65 are closed and a measured charge of liquid from ,the reservoir I8 is sealed and segregated in the measuring cylinder.

As the cam roller I8 continues to lift the out-.

let plunger valve 65 it uncovers the discharge channel 12 as best shown in Fig. 3 and thereby permits the measured charge of liquid in the measuring cylinder 26 to flow out into the valve bore 66 and from this bore into the waiting can moving with the reservoir. During this portion of the upward travel of the outlet plunger valve 65, the valve lifts the rocker arm 52 and its universal ball 55 bodily by a sliding movement on a bolt 56 against the resistance of the spring 6| discharge channel 12 formed .in the valve housing 61. The outer end of this channel communicates with the valve bore.66. The inner end of ing discharge channel 13 which is formed in the bottom of the reservoir l8 and which terminates adjacent an outlet 14 formed in the measuring cylinder 26. Thus this outlet valve is in a normally closed position over the can.

The outlet plunger valve 65 and the inlet poppet valve 32 are actuated simultaneously through the rocker arm 52 as the reservoir l8 rotates, by a stationary cam I6 which encircles the reservoir the channel is in communication with a continu- I8 and which is secured to the frame I6. This camis formed with a continuous cam groove 11 in which cam rollers 18 carried on bosses I9 formed on the outlet plunger valves 65, operate. The bosses extend through vertical slots 8| formed in the valve housings 61 and'thus prevent rotation of the valves in their housings.

In the operation of the machine, the measur- -32 is open as best shown in Fig. 2. With the valves in this position, liquid from the reservoir l8 flows into the measuring cylinder 26 and fills it to capacity. including the outlet 14, and disas shown in Fig. 3. This movement of the universal ball 55 permits of the raising of the outlet With continued rotation of the reservoir 6,-

the outlet plunger valve 65 is maintained in its raised open position while the contents of the measuring cylinder 26 is forced out through the outlet 14 and discharge channels 12, 13 into the can moving with the reservoir. This is effected by the radual raising of the piston 3| in its measuring cylinder 26 as its camroller 4| traverses the cam groove 42 of the cam 43 while the reservoir continues to rotate. At the top of its travel in its cylinder, the piston 3|, as shown in Fig. 3, forcesall of the liquid out into the can and this completes the filling operation.

- Upon the completion of thefllling 'cycle of the machine, the outlet plunger valve 65-acting under its cam 16 moves down and thereby closes the discharge opening I2 and the piston 3| acting under its cam 43 returns to its lowered position in readiness for a repeat cycle of measuring and segregating another charge of liquid for another can. simultaneously with this action, the closing ofv the outlet'valve 65, lowers the universal ball 55 to its original position as viewed in Fig. 2 and thus permits rocking of the rocker arm 52 into itsoriginal position. Thus the inlet poppet valve 32 is raised and the measuring cylinder 26 is thus opened for the reception of liquid from the reservoir I8 for measuring another charge for another can as hereinbefore mentioned.

In thismanner the inletvalve 32 and the outlet valve 65 are actuated in timed order from a. single source of movement in time with the pistons in the measuring cylinders and the receptionof cans in the machine so that the cans may travel through the machine ina continuous procession. Thus the machine operates consealing tinuously at a, high rate of speed and with maximum efiiciency.

Upon the completion of the filling cycle, a fillei can A is engaged in a pocket 85 (Fig. 1) of a discharge turret 86 disposed adjacent the path of travellof the cans and is carried away to any suitable place of deposit for sealing. Curved guide rails 81 retain the filled cans in the turret pockets during this transfer.

It if! thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described'being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a container filling machine, the combination of a measuring cylinder having an inlet opening for receiving and measuring a charge of liquid, said measuring cylinder also having an outlet for discharging a measured charge of liquid from said cylinder into a waiting container, an inlet valve for admitting the liquid into said cylinder through said inlet opening and for closing the opening in said cylinder to segregate the measured charge therein, an outlet valve spaced from said measuring cylinder and having connection with its outlet opening for filling the measured charge of liquid into the container, a normally stationary pivot member carried on a support located between said valves, a rocker arm mounted on said pivot member and connecting said valves, and means for moving one of said valves to actuate the other valve in unison by pivoting said rocker arm on said pivot member, said valve moving means after one valve is fully actuated further moving the other valve by shifting said pivot member on its support.

2. In a container filling machine, the combination of a measuring cylinder having an entrance opening for receiving and measuring a charge of liquid and having an outlet for discharging the measured charge of liquid into a container, an inlet poppet valve having a stem and disposed adjacent the entrance opening of said cylinder for admitting liquid into said cylinder and for segregating a. measured charge of the liquid in said cylinder, means for guiding said inlet poppet valve into position against said entrance opening, an outlet plunger valve extending adjacent the stem of said inlet poppet valve and disposed adjacent the outlet in said cylinder, means for actuating said outlet plunger valve, a rocker arm connecting said plunger valve with the stem of said inlet popp t valve for opening and closing said inlet poppet valve in time with the movement of said outlet plunger valve, said rocker arm being movable bodily relative to said poppet valve for delaying the opening of said inlet valve until said outlet valve is closed, and spring means acting against said rocker arm for controlling the bodily movement thereof.

3. In a container filling machine, the combination of a reservoir for retaining aquantity of liquid for filling into containers, a measuring cylinder carried by said reservoir and having an inlet openlng in communication therewith and having'an outlet for discharging a measured charge of liquid from said cylinder into a waiting container, an inlet valve disposed in said reservoir above said inlet opening in said cylinder and having vertical movement in said reservoir for admitting liquid thereinto and for closing said cylinder to segregate the measured charge therein, an outlet valve located outside of said reservoir adjacent said outlet and having vertical movement for opening and closing said outlet, means for raising said outlet valve, and a rocker arm disposed above said reservoir and connecting said valves, said outlet valve raising means first rocking said arm to close said inlet valve then as the raising of said outlet valve continues said arm pivots on and holds the inlet valve while said outlet valve opens.

4. In a container filling machine, the combina tion of a rotatable reservoir for retaining a quantity of liquid for filling into containers, a stationary table located below said reservoir, 2. measuring cylinder carried by said reservoir and having an inlet opening in communicationtherewith and having an outlet for discharging a measured charge of liquid from said cylinder into a waiting container supported on said table, an inlet valve disposed in said reservoir adjacent said inlet opening in said cylinder for admitting liquid thereinto and for closing said cylinder to segregate the measured charge therein, an outlet valve carried by said reservoir adjacent said outlet for opening and closing said outlet, cam means connected to said table adjacent the path of travel of said reservoir for actuating said outlet valve as the reservoir rotates, a rocker arm connecting said valves and operable by said outlet valve for opening and closing said valves in synchronsim, advancing means carried by said reservoir for engaging a container and for advancing it over said table in alignment with said outlet valve for receiving the charge of liquid therefrom, and means for feeding containers into and out of said advancing means.

5. In a container filling machine, thecombination ofa measuring cylinder for receiving and measuring a charge of liquid, an inlet valve for admitting the liquid into said cylinder and for closing said cylinder to segregate the measured charge therein, an outlet valve for filling the measured charge of liquid from said cylinder into a container, means for actuating one of said valves, a fixed member disposed between said valves, a universal ball slidably mounted on. said fixed member, spring means yieldably acting against said universal ball for holding it in place relative to said fixed member, and a rocker arm having a socket surrounding and mounted on said ball, said rocker arm having ball shaped ends flexibly connected with said valves for closing one of said valves before opening the other, said universal ball and said rocker arm being movable bodily as a unit against the resistance of said spring means for holding the one valve closed while the other is opening.

RONALD E. ,J. VNORDQUIST. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,105,173 Baker July 28, 1914 1,468,254 Ayars Sept. 18, 1923 1,956,595 Schmidt May 1, 1934 2,031,912 Spear Feb. 25, 1936 2,086,890 Ashlock et al. July 13, 1937 2,110,328 Drese Mar. 8, 1938 21.994 Chapman June 15 194:; 

